Carpeting is still a flooring option, but it isn’t a great one. Carpeting can give out before you are ready to replace it. If you are staring down a flooring replacement project, it helps to know which types of flooring last longer than all others.
Ceramic Tile
Big ceramic tiles create checkerboard appearances on your floor. They clean up well and are resilient to spills. However, they will crack and fracture if heavy things are dropped on them or the underfloor isn’t level.
Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
This stuff is waterproof, snaps together in place, is waterproof, scuff-proof, and splinter-proof and does not need extensive maintenance. The best part is that you can get it in any wood coloring and pattern or get it in a stone pattern. It can look like absolutely anything on the floor and you only know it’s faux when you touch it with your hand. Because it will never rot, it can stay put for decades to come.
Bamboo Flooring
One of the strongest natural fibers in the world, bamboo is an unusual choice, but a smart one. It takes dings and doesn’t crack. It resists water and doesn’t rot. In high traffic areas you can’t tell how hard it is run over. When this fiber is turned into planks of tightly woven strands, there is nothing else like it that can last as long.
Natural Stone
Like slate tile roofs, natural stone floors can last well beyond your lifetime. These floors are cool to the touch all year round. They cannot be cracked unless you are smacking them with a heavy sledgehammer (and who is going to do that?). They are easy to clean and easier to maintain.
There’s just one catch. Don’t install them in bathroom areas as they can get slippery when wet. Use natural stone for kitchens, dining areas, and other common areas in your home.